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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23958646">When the Cherry Blossom Fades</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kotobukki/pseuds/kotobukki'>kotobukki</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Uta no Prince-sama</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:35:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,645</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23958646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kotobukki/pseuds/kotobukki</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Your relationship with Masato was taking a turn for the worst, and you decided to call it quits. Masato however, had a final request - to see the cherry blossoms together for the last time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hijirikawa Masato/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>When the Cherry Blossom Fades</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You weren’t sure when it all started. Gradually you noticed your relationship with him slowly slipping away. Both of you stopped texting each other in the morning, you no longer found the motivation to meet up with him after work, choosing to spend your dinner time alone in front of the television instead of your boyfriend. Your weekends were filled with appointments - but they were for yourself only. </p>
<p>Once in a while the two of you would sit at a cafe after lunch together, sipping on coffee. But the entire date was in silence, with words barely exchanged between the both of you. It wasn’t like you ran out of things to talk about, the usual you would have told him every small detail about your day - how your morning toast was slightly burnt beyond your liking or how you met a stray cat on your way to the office.</p>
<p>It was as if the two of you became complete strangers. </p>
<p>Eventually, you knew it was time to call it quits, and you knew your boyfriend thought the same. </p>
<p>You dropped him a text, basically telling him that your relationship was going nowhere and it was better to break up. You stared at the screen for a moment, waiting for a reply. Somehow it brought upon a bitter feeling, despite knowing that your relationship was close to hopeless.</p>
<p>“Can you promise me one more thing?” came the reply, leaving you confused.</p>
<p>You replied with a “yes, what is it?”</p>
<p>You knew your boyfriend wasn’t a bad person. He never hurt you out of spite, and even if he hurt you unintentionally, he always immediately apologised. He always meant well, he always had good intentions. </p>
<p>It really made you wonder - where did it all go wrong? </p>
<p>A couple of minutes later his reply came again “Just the two of us, one last time, I want to see the cherry blossoms.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Going to see the cherry blossoms every spring was something the two of you had been doing together for the past three years. It was a date you constantly looked forward to, the both of you would happily try to catch any falling petals. When you got tired from walking, you would sit on a bench beneath a tree and talk about the things you wanted to do in the future, from going overseas together to getting married.</p>
<p>Nothing of that sort was going to ever happen. It was going to be your fourth and final time looking at the cherry blossoms together.<br/>You let out a deep sigh as you opened your wardrobe to find a sweater to wear. Though the weather allowed for you to dress lightly, you knew the spring breeze would eventually pick up later in the day, and you didn’t want to end your last date trembling from the cold. </p>
<p>Shuffling through your clothes, your eyes landed on a particular knitted sweater. It was a gift from your boyfriend when the two of you were in the early stages of your relationship. It was some time in autumn, and you had gone out to catch a movie with him. Not knowing that the temperature was going to drop during the night, you left the house underdressed. The moment you left the mall to walk home together, you felt the chills and instinctively tried to wrap your hands around yourself to provide your body with the needed warmth. Your boyfriend saw what you were doing, and immediately dragged you back into the mall to buy you a new one. </p>
<p>Today wasn’t exactly the right occasion to wear a piece of clothing which carried so much meaning to you, but you weren’t given much of a choice, looking at how your other sweaters were either too thick or too thin.  </p>
<p>Grabbing your bag and keys, you stepped out of the house.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was a silent commute to the park, with the only sound being the soft music playing through your earphones. </p>
<p>You had the time to think about your relationship. No matter how you looked at it, you couldn’t comprehend where everything turned sour. Despite both of you being introverts, you managed to click well with one another, and every silence the both of you had was never awkward. You never had a major fight with him, and small arguments were always resolved as quickly as they appeared.</p>
<p>Was it just the gods above telling you that it was not meant to be? Was this the cruelty of fate that you heard so often of from your friends?</p>
<p>Reaching the park, you had caught sight of other couples already there, walking along the pathway, hand in hand, wearing the brightest smiles on their faces. You felt a pang of jealousy in your chest - you used to be like that. </p>
<p>You took a seat at one of the benches near a convenience store, waiting for your boyfriend to come. Looking at the breathtaking scenery in front of you, you weren’t sure if you were to feel happy or upset that the relationship was ending like that. You hoped that you would be able to enjoy the cherry blossoms without your feelings getting in the way.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Not more than five minutes later, you spotted a familiar figure approaching from a distance. Standing up from the bench, you forced a small smile on your face as you greeted him,</p>
<p>“Hijirikawa-san.” </p>
<p>Likewise, Masato greeted you politely, a similar smile seen on his face. His gaze fell onto the sweater you were wearing, and it looked as if he wanted to say something, but held back. </p>
<p>You then felt him look at your hands and you realised it was because you were wearing a bandage on one finger. You had hurt yourself earlier in the day while trying to fix one of the loose buttons on your shirt. Pricking yourself with the needle was never a problem when you lived with Masato, he was always good with his hands, while you fell more on the rough side.</p>
<p>He looked concerned and you shyly told him that it wasn’t serious and that it would heal up in no time.</p>
<p>You hated this. How the two of you went from lovers to seemingly two people who first met on a blind date. But you also knew that at this point, it was unavoidable. </p>
<p>Walking side by side, silence hung between the both of you as you directed your gaze at the cherry blossoms slowly cascading down onto the pavement. Masato was the first to break the silence, asking you if you had been well recently. You told him that work had been a lot more manageable recently, and that you were getting along well with your colleagues.</p>
<p>“I’m glad.” He replied.</p>
<p>There wasn’t much meaning in the conversation shared between the both of you, just small talk here and there. Once in a while the both of you would reminisce about things that happened when you were dating, but those conversations didn’t last long, it appeared that the both of you didn’t want to touch on that topic. </p>
<p>Before you knew it, you had reached the end of the pathway, the last cherry blossom tree just right in front of your eyes. It was coming to an end - the day, the date and the relationship. Both of you stopped in your footsteps, simultaneously looking at the tree in front of you. </p>
<p><i>Somehow, both of you never wanted the day to end.</i> </p>
<p>“(y/n)-san.” Masato called out gently.</p>
<p>Reaching into his front pocket, he pulled out something small, like a charm of some sort. He took your hand and gently placed it in your palm.</p>
<p>It was a happiness charm, and at first glance you could tell that he had personally made it. The stitching pattern was all too familiar to you.</p>
<p>“I know it was a difficult request, but thank you for meeting with me today. I hope this charm serves as a proper parting gift. I still love you, and I’m sorry things didn’t work out. I hope that in the future, you’ll be able to find the happiness and comfort that I couldn’t provide you.”</p>
<p>You bit your lip, trying your hardest not to let a single tear slip.</p>
<p>“Thank you, I love you too. Please be happy and healthy from now on.” You replied, your voice shaking slightly.</p>
<p>Reluctantly, Masato bid you farewell as he walked off. You stood frozen in your position, looking on as you saw the figure of the man you once loved so much leave, your hand still clutching on tightly to the charm he gave you.</p>
<p>He was out of sight, but he wasn’t out of your mind yet. </p>
<p>You placed the charm inside your bag, your legs picking up the courage to finally make your way home. Cherry blossoms continued to fall, decorating the path in front of you.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Reaching home, you took out the happiness charm from your bag and held onto it as you slumped in front of your room door. You looked at the charm in your hand, your fingers gently running over the soft fabric.</p>
<p>And then, you cried.  </p>
<p>You let all the tears you’ve been holding back out, you buried your face into the sweater, your chest hurting more with each wail you let out. You missed him, you missed him so much, and you felt helpless that there was nothing you could do to mend the broken relationship. In your mind, you already knew that there was no way you could love another man like him ever again, your relationship with him was the most precious one you have ever had and yet it didn’t work out. </p>
<p>You prayed, with all your heart, you poured your entire soul into it, that when the cherry blossom fades, your lingering feelings for him would disappear too.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading! It's my first time writing angst so I was worried how it would turn out, but I'm relieved I managed to pull it off!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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